


my unwanted birthday gift

by gimmethaticecream



Series: AU - ASCENSION [2]
Category: Ascension (SYFY), Ascension (TV), Korean Actor RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, Fluff, M/M, Space Stations, Spaceships, zero-G - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-27
Updated: 2015-05-27
Packaged: 2018-04-01 12:20:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4019521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gimmethaticecream/pseuds/gimmethaticecream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>ASCENSION AU<br/>Haneul has a little birthday gift for Woobin and it's not exactly what he expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	my unwanted birthday gift

**Author's Note:**

> Context >> ASCENSION AU: The Partial Test Ban Treaty of 1963 did not stop the Project Orion except Spoiler alert for the ending of the 1st episode, in the notes at the end. Basically in this universe, the characters are aboard a generation ship, they are the 3rd generation, Ascension-ship born generation.
> 
> But this is a huge set up for actual fluff, nice&soft Haneul, buggier Woobin, cravings, craving, cravings.

I was born to have power, I was born to rule. But to put up with the society, I can only do that on rare occasions. Times when I'm in a strength position because you owe me in any way possible. Times when I know I'm surrounded by tools. I can't use the word bully, I promised my best friend I wouldn't.  
But once a year, I can behave according to that smug voice in my head with just everyone, because it's my birthday and shit.  
At least it was the way it had been until my 23rd birthday. Because that birthday was all orchestered by Haneul, who for that day lost his title of best friend. He was the devil.

He woke me up very early, which was a little unnecessary but it was nice to be just with him, enjoying breakfast in a cleared out hall. Now if all he made me try that morning looked tasty and beautiful, maybe it was a weird buffet. The handmade attribute was a good reason to try everything.  
I still had my training as a security officer and I was able to make my comrades pay. Just a little more than the usual, privilege of seeing me everyday. And when Haneul fetched me at 3, we were in a hurry for a reason I couldn't know just yet. He made me run through immaculate corridors I didn't frequent so much for not working in the science division and lead me to what we commonly refer to as the "Suit room".

"No."  
I wouldn't budge from the doorframe, looking down on Haneul who seemed to be having a hard time dragging me inside. With my hands in my pockets and my feet almost rooted in the floor, I just stretched a thin and confident smile, repeating my answer.  
"But come on, you won't regret it, you're going to love it, I promise!"  
My head kept shaking. I wasn't afraid or else, at least I didn't think I was. No one is supposed to be pushed over any more than I had already been on one's birthday.  
"But I did everything you wanted me to do on my birthday!"  
I chuckled.  
"Your argument is invalid Haneul, my schedule for your birthday was made accordingly to your liking."  
Haneul's left eye twitched when his lips produced a furtive pout and he stepped out of the suit room, past me, giving up I supposed. When I turned around to walk behind him, he was bending forward against me, pushing on all four, his forehead and palms urging me back into the dressing room. I was tricked and my balance was right off, I mean I almost fell to the ground. That kid was unleashed with one new born will you can't just put down.  
Struggling to get back on my feet, it was his smirk and the way his eyes glowed at me that helped me figure my angry face was on although I was merely frustrated.

"Wipe that smile off!"  
"Hey."  
Haneul straightened his prance and dragged me to the back of the room by the wrist. At this point I let him lead the way.  
"Woobin, do you even know what your likes are?"  
I rolled my eyes.  
He got down to my feet, and removed my shoes one by one. I gestured along, not making it any easier but at least I didn't leave and I remained silent, waiting to be convinced.  
"You like bugging people, you like fighting and honestly I think I gave you enough time for that at work. The only other thing you like more is me."  
He didn't even smile. He was on point and his face didn't checkmate me, and it was revolting. He just stood back up, and his hands unbuckled my waist belt without notice.  
"So you better give in to discover something you like with someone you love."  
The tone of his and his bold invasion of my intimacy was a lot to indulge at once and alright, I flinched. Like literally, bending forward like he touched something super sensitive. Well he kind of did.  
I looked for an escape line, hastly, spining around and seeking reasons why I should not slip so gently into a space suit.  
"You love being touchy-feely too by the way, don't you Woobin."  
I remember wincing, little Haneul coming back into my sight with a large childish grin and his eyelids almost shut just like when he was 5 and couldn't care much if I'd bully the crap out of him after he pulled pranks on me.

"I don't have the accreditation to go out of the ship."  
That was the only point I could argue on, only a few technicians and researchers were allowed outside, after being trained and he knew that. Outings were highly regulated, and this one wouldn't go unnoticed in the middle of a busy afternoon. Not that I looked for ways to trespass before, but as a law enforcement officer, there are a few tricks you can imagine. I wouldn't bring any of those up though. I rested my back against a locker, my feet in socks shuffling when I crossed one leg over the other, still waiting.

To be completely honest, I was still expecting Haneul to give one bold confession for my birthday and the fact that he was taking me to places, dodging the inevitable was unnerving. I think it was written all over my face and I wasn't even ashamed for dammit it was my birthday and I deserved a 3 word confession to say the least.

"I have ways to get what I want."  
Haneul stood a meter away from me, studying me although he was the secretive one.  
"If you're talking about bending a law, you're not talking to your friend, you're adressing the next Lieutenant in chief."  
He smiled and pulled a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. He handed to me what seemed like a pretty regular authorization to go out of the ship for one hour long, tops, under the supervision of Doctor Kang.  
I peered up, barely lifting my face from the note, and down again.  
Haneul was incapable of forgery, he really did earn this one out in mysterious ways. And by mysterious I mean impossible. Not even my family rank allowed me such a privilege.  
My pulse did rise when I looked back at Haneul and he seemed to be worrying about the time on his watch.

"What did you do Kang Haneul?"  
"No time for that here, I'll tell you what I did when we're not aboard this ship anymore."  
I obeyed. I quite didn't care about dressing up in a space suit, I always had to know the means although in the end, after tremendous negotiations I didn't care much about the result. All that counted was the means to me, the why, the how. The mere prospect of wasting minutes that cost him, a lot from what I could guess, was unbearable.

Haneul helped me seal the uniform neatly so that I could do the same on his. The dressing room had a straight and quilted white corridor, which made me want to try and velcro myself at the walls. Not that much of a weird impulse since as children, one of our favorite game room was the velcro wall. They made us wear white combi with a tiny flag of Korea on the armband which induced to each of us astronaut make belief . I grew so tall I wasn't able to make those jumps for very long and the craving just came in rushing.  
"Remember when we were young and-"  
"That's not Velcro."  
Well that walk down memory lane did not take long. I glared shortly and Haneul looked so damn proud. He knew all about the kid I was, and today he leaped into my thoughts and dreams.

If his smile could be explained by his correct guess, I had no idea of what that rising laughter of his was for.  
"What is it?"  
My question only increased his frenzy, while the technicians who waited for us by the end of the corridor checked our gear and sealed our helmets.  
Exterior sounds were muffled and I heard myself breathe so loud with the helmet on. Haneul was almost bowing down, his legs threatening to give up under his own weight. I think my annoyed face only made it worse but that's how I feel when left out of a good laugh.  
Static rose and soon I could hear Haneul, having a hard time catching his breath.  
"Are you laughing at me?"  
"It's all your fault!"  
And there he goes again. The technicians giggled at how unleashed their co-worker was. They plugged in their earbuds and commented, thankfully.  
"We never see him like that, although I don't know exactly what happened."  
"Me neither." I shrugged and helped the short laughing one up, pulling him to my side.

That suit was heavily affecting my motions, imprecise and complex to adjust to. I tried to walk casually but it kind of weighted more than expected, more than the velcro suit. The technicians gave us the rules for this outing, and once Haneul could breathe he added a few specifics, which I listened to patiently. In all, they bonded us to the ship with a cable coming out of the platform which was a second guarantee we wouldn't end up drifting in Space forever accidentally. They also linked us together with a five meter long cable in case one of our jets would fail and because I had no prior training session for space hang-outs.

From the tone of the engineers, I understood that this was where the miracle happened. Haneul somewhat got me a ticket to a hangout without a prior training session and that seemed pretty impossible to reach.  
The technicians reminded us they'd stand by, we were to say if anything was weird and we could ask for music to be played. That part seemed to amuse them and I just stared at them boldly, getting the feeling I was assisted by actual clowns. Haneul exploded again and this time his co-workers joined him.  
"Good luck wiping your tears off." I darted.  
Haneul grabbed my arm and okay, I smiled reassuringly.  
"It's just that you brought up the velcro wall and you know what, you really look like a huge baby in that uniform."  
"So do you."  
"I don't need that suit to look like one though. And your pissed off face just makes it so funnier." He chuckled and I had to admit that this uniform was quite a change to the cigarette pants I always wear.

BIRTH

When a loud unlocking sound almost made the floor quake under my feet I realized the technicians left and the deck was sealed behind us.  
That was it I was going out, leaving my world and I didn't prepare myself to such a surreal experience. Still, I looked at Haneul with wide eyes, trying to distract myself from loss of weight I was suddenly feeling. Questions were fighting their priority to get out, all I managed to say was: "How?"  
"Just like that."  
With Haneul's answer, a smile lit his face up and he took my hand in his, leading me to the end of the platform in small jumps, the edge of the world. The vacuum ahead was dizzying, wether you're fine with confined heights or not. I held onto his hand tightly, gulping down the panicky feeling. I was after all girthed to my childhood friend and Haneul was confident. Was he, I thought, looking at his face.

I honestly don't know what went through his brain, what ignited the glow in his eyes, but I knew with only one glance that Haneul was up to no good.  
"Alright, let's get this baby screaming!"  
Those were his last word to me on board, then he grabbed my waist and threw us into the wide emptiness ahead.  
I did scream, in a spacey pitch to say the least. I could have peed myself right away. I expected falling, at least a little, but instead we seemed to have lost all our weight and our speed was hard to measure in such conditions. I tried to get a glimpse of the ship but that was almost impossible with that mad giggling monkey clinging on me and my sense of direction lost in the sea of galaxies.  
"Yah!"  
My voice echoed in between our mic and ear bud a few times.  
"Is that how they taught you to take a first timer out? What kind of gallantry is that Professor Kang!" My frustration was mostly over the unmanly shout I let out earlier, and his title would only be brought up to underline how unprofessional he'd behave, that was my new rule.

"Well, I think I accomplished my mission, it's 334 in the afternoon, main computer timezone to the Ark general artifical orbit, exactly twenty three years ago, a baby came into this ship, screeching his way out of the womb into our cold Generation Ship. He was named Kim Woobin and although the records don't state that part clearly, the baby, out of his strong will and determinism made a vow to make everyone pay for pulling him out of it."  
We were spinning but I did not really notice motions, I only had eyes for Haneul and I was out of snatchy lines.

"I'm sorry some doctor had to pull you to his end, screaming, but I'd do it all over again. And as a matter of fact, I did."  
He looked so proud, smiling sheepishly.  
"Well just like him, prepare yourself to clean my butt after this, because my fluids and the rest of my body are still unhappy and unwilling." I meant it to sound smug but I couldn't help laughing in the end.  
"I'm accepting all the chores and the baby. I want it all."  
I tried wrapping my arms around Haneul's chest and I realized my strength was not the same, and in this infinity he looked even more fragile than the usual.  
"I can't even kiss you, really what kind of world is this?"  
"An unfair one."  
I smiled and joined him in his favorite activity: stargazing. Except out here it was so much more enjoyable. I tried to look back to the ship again, using my grip on Haneul and I had no regret I did. Our world was there, something I could frame although it was still bigger to my eye than the closest planet.  
It was indeed unfair: having to clear so many authorizations to take a look at your world was unfair and if it wasn't for Haneul, I'd have never known about how in love I was with space. I loved it, the indescribable feeling of being part of something bigger, other than just being a human life sacrificed along with its whole generation in the middle of a journey to another galaxy.

His chest pulled off mine and he released one of my hands slowly. I was certainly clinging onto him harder than he did onto me.  
"It's okay, I'm still going to hold you with one hand, you're gonna love it."  
"Oh now you warn me of your intentions, really, now?"  
Haneul chuckled softly and this was all I needed in the world, his laugh, he and I into infinity and it was all good.

NURSING

Static rose into our transmission and we naturally looked at the ship.  
"Ground control to Professor Kang."  
Haneul rolled his eyes, shaking his head.  
The voice on their radio went on again: "Ground control to Major Kim."  
The man on the other end was singing to some classic Bob Dylan and I might have smiled.  
"Major Kim, reporting for duty." I answered in a serious voice, giving into the game.  
"Hi Major Kim, this is Caporal Park for Ground Control. Can you please confirm if the silent dumbass hanging in front of you might still be alive?"  
I raised a brow, but Haneul was staring at me as if he didn't ear what the countrol guy said. He sighed softly and I remained silent, not sure if the guy was even a friend, if I'd let that mishap pass. Haneul raised his voice after a second:  
"What I'm sure of is that if I'm alive, I'll also be kicking your ass when I get back to the platform."  
Haneul smiled at me, no matter what he was saying, he seemed to be pondering, watching me, his hands moving slightly to get a better grasp on my large gloves.

"I missed you my love."

I blinked, tilting my head at the so called love the technician on the radio addressed.  
That was the moment Haneul pursed his lips up and his eyes drifted away from mine, some guy actually interrupted our moment.  
"Well this is awkward." The guy from control continued and giggled.  
"Hyungsik, could you respect the note just above the vitals panel, I'll be back for your ass in a few minutes."  
Giggles on the far end.  
"Well you're in a mood. My ass is waiting Professor. Major Kim,"  
"Caporal Park." I said, actually hoping the conversation would end soon. Ground control went mute and I supposed the note my friend had let on the panel was to give us privacy.

I pulled on my friend's grip a little, our chest bumped lightly.  
"Alright about how I got you the chance to be out here,"  
"No it's okay." I cut right before Haneul could proceed with the explanation I requested while on the ship, that reality was just so far away.  
"Another time, I'm actually enjoying this."  
That was the moment Haneul could give me a told-you-so line, he'd totally earned it. But instead he smiled, the soft blush on his cheeks so obvious by the blueish lights at the basis of our helmet. Haneul pressed on his gas giving us a little push to stray from the ship some more. I clinged onto him with both hands, in awe of the whole universe waltzing around us.

"What do you like about this exactly Hyung?"  
"I like how celestial it feels. Nothing matters out here. Rank, job, future, it's just you, heavenly bodies and me."  
Haneul breathed out deeply, humming quietly and nodded.  
"Although I guess oxygen will soon matter just as much." I added, gritting my teeth.  
"That and the need to make out with you."  
He mimicked my grin and I was out of words.  
I pressed my gas command pushing me against him and sending us out of our initial trajectory.  
"What are you doing Woobin?"  
"That's it, I'm taking you away since out here, in Space you can be so blunt. The ship always makes you so careful."  
He was clinging onto me and the weightlessness only made it impossible to feel him, but it did set us in motion.  
Haneul sighed.  
"We can't survive together out here."  
"Science said." I narrated a mono tone." But at least you can drop the shy act out here." I frowned shortly.  
"Better honest deads than perduring hypocrites huh?"  
"That's the spirit." I confirmed.

I spun and spun and my breakfast was threatening me. I hate being threatened but for once I just subdued.  
"Haneul you were right."  
"Yes, go on."  
"You guessed on my likings and you guessed right."  
Haneul smirked, hovering in front of me, struggling for our helmets to face each other.  
"Keep em coming, Hyung."  
"I think you're amazing."  
"Yes."  
"I think it cost you for me to be here."  
Haneul pushed himself off, his gloved hands flying to his sides.  
"It didn't cost me that much. I made a deal."  
"What kind of deal?" I gave a small push which sent me just too far off the direction I planned. The suit sensitivity made each gambit bold and I strayed from my goal. I hissed and cursed as Haneul swifly managed to remain within our bond limit yet far enough for me to struggle for measured closeness.

"The kind where I find a way for us to work in the same department?"  
"Kang Haneul close the distance and express yourself cleverly."  
Haneul obeyed and in one jump his chest bumped against mine.  
"I might have used the fact that they need new space engineers."  
"You just might have." I belittled the fact, chuckling sarcastically. Of course I would be sollicited to give into that position since now I had spent time outside, that was their plan. They make you fall into the vacuum, they let you fall for the vacuum then they have you work out there.  
"Well, I know you have a talent for fencing off debates you don't wish to take part in, Woobin."  
"I fence off all debates, period. I initiate those I wish to take part in." I corrected, I already had a career all planned out, taking after the intern protection of the Generation Ship department father and older brother in time; never would I think of an alternative.  
My gloved hand could stroke his shoulder as much as I wanted, he wouldn't feel even half of it and it hurt my arm.  
"It's alright, it was quite the opportunistic plan but I like the impulsive Haneul more and more."  
"Especially the one who undresses you on a whim."  
He giggled finally blushing for his prior act.  
"Yeah, especially that one."

SICKNESS OF THIS WORLD

We played a game of pull and tug to get back to the platform in time. Those pushes would propel one of us forward and the other had to let himself get dragged, the effortless fly would take you farther until the in-between bond would tighten, in a firm boom, dragging both of us to each other like magnets. It was all about igniting the hydraulic jet in the right time to avoid collision and it felt close to being part of one body, two legs working complementary, one shorter than the other.  
"You're jocking I'm an average leg. You're the overboard leg, I mean come on!"  
I got something like that and reminding Haneul of how special that day was for me, only inspired him to tease me better.

On the platform, once the ship closed, capturing us, gravity came back. It was slow and supposed to accommodate astronaut but it was the worst moment of the hangout. The relief of zero-G increased all the weight, crushing you down to the ground all thanks to the artificial gravity maintained on the ship.  
The control operator released his tongue and filled our helmets with an endless and uncontrollable banter which Haneul halted right away, looking at me with concern. I had been a little sick to my stomach for a while but it all hit me now, my nose was clogged and I couldn't wait to get my hands on a box of tissues.  
"Easy Hyung." Haneul kept repeating in a soothing voice. I did feel altogether disoriented.  
The control operator, adressed as Hyungsik a few times since we boarded, somewhat made himself very useful, leading me to the next room, which was heavily furnished in comparison to the platform. He helped me down a chair and at this point I started feeling a world I wasn't used to. As if my normal condition was to be in Space and my body was now hostile to the ship.  
"This is awful."  
The lament was all over my mind and I'm not sure if I even said it at all. My pulse seemed to throb in my neck, and I exhaled in long and impressively loud breaths. My weight seemed so off and I didn't know you could catch a cold outside. Well that was an earth myth. If that was what a cold felt like, I was just fine on the ship. My head lolled to the side, eyes seeking Haneul who was himself struggling to gather his spirit, except he was just righteous about it. He looked so professional. I was there, half laying, feeling haggard and I could only guess how bad I looked.

Hyungsik had a funny face.  
You know the friendly kind you can easily fall for. He had his hair styled in a very experimental way, or not styled at all, hard to say.  
"Just put me down."  
Hyungsik kept steadying my chest in the chair, which was made for broad shoulders of highly trained astronauts.  
"We don't kill the weak here in the science department, we breed it. It's our secret, it's yours too now."  
That was not what I meant but all the explaining I did was summed up by a gigantic groan for answer.  
He smirked, his hands were all over me I swear. He was moving so fast I should have thrown up, although I didn't. So that was why Haneul insisted me on feeding me so early with the weird stuff.

Well the Guilty one came to sit by my side, helping Hyungsik, except he seemed deeply worried and he started giving the other directions, very calmly.  
Hyungsik disappeared, the lights dimmed to the minimum, fresh air started blowing very lightly and it somewhat helped.  
It was just Haneul and me, in the world, familiarizing with it again.

"So, Happy birthday is in order."  
"Oh shush."  
My heart was back to its normal rhythm, the panic passed, but I was on edge. I let him pull me to his embrace.  
"You're so gonna pay for this." I warned, feeling grumpy like whenever I'd be sick.  
"Yes I'm taking care of you for the next 74 hours."  
"Why 74 hours?!"  
I think I jerked away so fast I wasn't even sure if the ground was really down my feet, the roof was cleverly in a different color but I wasn't fine with that reality. Haneul grabbed me swiftly again, pulling me dearly to his chest despite our height difference.

So yes we were in Space, but all of us weren't told about the specifics of Space hangouts, way to prevent aspirations in the egg. Lessons were very compartmentalized for better cohesion and carreers were decided almost as early as those unborn dreams were shattered.  
"No worries, I had it all arranged, your parents know you will be slightly missing in action for the next three days. They gave me their blessing by the way."  
"Well that was straightforward."  
Actually that was all kinds of evil, and lovely in the same time. I had a great time but for one hour outside I feared a three days long hangover would be long, it would definitely cost him. I closed my eyes and that was a good thing because I could feel everything spinning all around.

I never even considered going out of the ship, not since the Velcro wall, the real one, back when I was 5. And now I missed it, my body missed it so much I cannot even say if I got the birthday gift I really wanted. I felt like I heard Haneul confess while I was in limbo, which is all shades unfair. But what I can say for sure is that I enjoyed the hangover like a spoiled kid and rest assured: in the three days that followed, the devil, also know as I, had his share of fun.


End file.
